Upland Man, Riverside Woman Killed In Accident On 60 Freeway

POMONA (CBS) — A fatal accident on the 60 Freeway involving a semi truck and two vehicles left two people dead early Monday morning.

The accident happened just after 3 a.m. on the eastbound 60 Freeway between the Chino Valley (71) Freeway and Reservoir Street.

The California Highway Patrol says two cars had pulled over to the right shoulder of the freeway because one of the vehicles was out of gas. A semi truck then swerved into the shoulder and hit both victims who were outside their vehicles before it overturned, officials said.

The victims, both pronounced dead at the scene, were Otis Lee Hall, 20, of Upland and Sharon Renee Higgins, 20, of Riverside.

A small fire resulted from the crash.

Officials said one of the victims fell off the overpass to Gary Road below.

The semi driver was taken to Pomona Valley Hospital as a precaution. The CHP was investigating the accident and trying to determine if alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash.

A Sig Alert was issued and all eastbound lanes of the 60 Freeway were blocked off due to the accident. The freeway reopened around 6:45 a.m.

One Comment

The accident happened last night 5/15/11 around 7:30 pm. I saw one covered body and was on that freeway with my husband and children. We were there quite awhile trying to get through because of this accident.

I was on the freeway at that time also. Unfortunately, the story above is different from the one that you saw. I believe there were 3 accidents last night on the 60. My heart goes out to all the families involved.

As I stated, I was on that freeway around 7:30 pm and it was dark but I was close enough to see at least one covered body in between the two highway patrol cars and there 3 orange cones around it.
On our way back from Ontario, we saw the coroner’s arriving on the scene around 8:40 pm on the opposite side of the 60 freeway which would have been the 60 eastbound.

Yesterday’s accident was very close to where this one occurred. I was also stuck in traffic around 9 PM and would like to know more about that accident. I saw a man laying on his back with black shoes, dark jeans, and a red shirt surrounded by CHP and CalTrans workers.

I frequent the 60 Freeway and I hope that this string of accidents soon ends. Be careful out there!

The first incident earlier in the evening was someone who jumped from the bridge above. We saw the emergency vehicles and backup from the westbound freeway. The accident involving the semi happened near that location around 3:00 a.m.

Ok, that is what my husband and I were thinking cactuscat. The person may have jumped and perhaps the media wanted to respect the family. It does happen sometimes if the media feels the individual is a “nonenity.” or that it is not “newsworthy.”
Our prayers are with the family of that person that we saw cover with the three orange cones and a few officers around them.

You all are idiots. That is my family member and it happened this morning. He did not jump. Before you comment get the facts first. A stupid simi truck hit Him and his Girlfriend. God Bless them and they Family!

You all are idiots. That is my family member and it happened this morning. He did not jump. Before you comment get the facts first. A stupid simi truck hit Him and his Girlfriend. God Bless them and they Family!

So what body did we see around 7:45-8:00 pm laying on the 60 eastbound?
What was the time of the accident with your family member Owens?
Why wasnt the other incident reported then?
Just want to make sure the FACTS are being reported, often times they are not and the public blindly accepts the reports as FACTS.

There were two separate, tragic events overnight near the same location on the eastbound Pomona Freeway.

The first happened around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday. That was someone who jumped from the bridge over the freeway. I saw the aftermath of this event while headed home on the westbound side of the freeway.

The second event is the one described in this news story. It was the semi hitting and killing the two people who were on the shoulder of the freeway and it happened around 3:00 this morning. The two people hit by the truck did NOT jump from the bridge, though one of them may have been thrown onto the road below due to the impact.

Thanks, but other posters including you pointed out that these were separate accidents. I mentioned it again because some people didn’t seem to realize that and the families of the truck’s victims were upset thinking that people were accusing their relatives of jumping. Both the suicide and truck crash were very sad, but separate, events.

Be careful on that stretch of the 60. I check traffic maps and/or the CHP web site before I get on freeways and there are a lot of accidents in that area.

I’m taking this time out to send my condolences to the owens family. In the twinkling of an eye we know not the hour but yet god does. This sudden loss, devastation and burden of uncertanity I send my love and prayer to both parents to the decease. May god be with you in this time of loss. My deepest sympathy. It has touch my home deeply and what do you say when you can’t say no more… The decease young man was loving, kind, smiling all the time and always in good spirits need to say more my sons have lost another genuine friend but through it all “God understands” and we look up high for the answers stay strong and know that your loss has deeply affected us whom knew him and her tremendously!

Yes these were two separate events. My spouse and children actually witnessed this man standing on the overpass on Sunday evening May 15 @ 7:20pm before he jumped forward onto to eastbound 60 fwy. He was standing on the 71 Northbound overpass and we had just got on the 71 Southbound overpass. It was a tragedy to see this poor man take his own life. Our prayer go out to this man and to the young victims involved in the second tragic accident that occured around the same location but in the early.morning hours. Such a tragic weekend.

The traffic accident involving two lovely adults, soon to be 21 years old, May 27 and June 5th, were innocent victims of a 18 wheeler. Otis’s mom is a single parent of three children. She needs your help folks. Otis Hall has a trust fund set up at Bank of America. Please help. It’s very expensive to bury a loved one. May God be a comforter to Tan’ya (his mother) and her family.

The traffic accident involving two lovely adults, soon to be 21 years old, May 27 and June 5th, were innocent victims of a 18 wheeler. Otis’s mom is a single parent of three children. She needs your help folks. Otis Hall has a trust fund set up at Bank of America. Please help. It’s very expensive to bury a loved one. May God be a comforter to Tan’ya (his mother) and her family.

Mann!! The assumption of the average mInd (lookie-Loo’s) is fragile… Otis was a young man.. Very inspired!!! Goal orientated!!! & no matter what!! Never let any one stop him from reaching his goals!!! Pshhh!! Jump off a bridge!! C mon now!! Show some respect!! Love u Otis!!! Stargazing from the stars!!!!

To the mother of otis my heart goes out to you, God has his angels back they were good kids and following thier dreams. Sometimes God does things we don’t understand but as you can see we live in a world full of hate poverty, war, black on black crime, brother killing brother mother hating daughters, things are going to get even worst but God saved my niece and your son from living to see all of the worst of the worst. In the midst of it all we have to still lean on God because he only knows our going and coming out! God Bless you strong Black woman God has your back!